Carl Peterson Wants A Promotion!?!

by UCrawford on Oct 8, 2008 12:35 AM CDT

That's the buzz that Jason Whitlock is apparently getting from Chiefs employees. The man who brought you 14 years of playoff futility, two decades of questionable drafting, numerous horrible free agent contracts and the debacle that is the 2008 season is apparently not interested in leaving the franchise after his contract is up after 2009.

Instead, he wants a promotion, to team CEO, so he can continue to run things through his subordinates...the same as he's been doing for the last 19 years.

My read from discussions over the past year with Chiefs employees is that Peterson would like to hang on to his CEO/president title and elevate Bill Kuharich to general manager and Denny Thum to some sort of associate president role. Kuharich would be in charge of all personnel decisions, Thum would be in charge of the salary cap and Peterson would continue to milk the Hunts for a fat paycheck.

Which Whitlock doesn't think bodes well for landing the top-notch coach or personnel people that many seem to want

I don’t believe the Chiefs can be a player in the Bill Cowher sweepstakes with Peterson still in power. Maybe I’m wrong and a record contract will lure Cowher to work for the man Marty bickered with the second half of his KC tenure. But it would make no sense for Hunt to saddle Cowher with Peterson’s baggage. You would think that Herm and Marty would counsel Cowher to avoid that.

And with Peterson in office, the Chiefs certainly have no shot at landing New England’s front-office guru Scott Pioli, Bill Belichick’s right-hand man. Pioli is ready to get out from underneath Belichick’s shadow and run his own franchise. He would be a terrific hire for the Chiefs.

So for all of those who think that Carl is still the Dear Leader And Savior of the Chiefs Franchise, enjoy...he'll be saving this franchise right into mediocrity (or failure) for the rest of his life if he gets what he wants.

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of Arrowhead Pride's writers or editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of Arrowhead Pride writers or editors.

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no please no

by The DBowe Show on Oct 8, 2008 2:01 AM CDT 0 recs

...not really...

Since Carl already IS President/GM/CEO he would actually be giving up two of his jobs and just keeping the business aspect…which I actually thought he should have done last year…BUT…after this…more change is needed and this wont work…

I like Cowher…

But I like Pioli even better…

by woodman212 on Oct 8, 2008 3:42 AM CDT 0 recs

Your quoting Whitlock now?

and Woodman is right how do you promote yourself if you already hold the position?

by aPacificChief on Oct 8, 2008 5:41 AM CDT 0 recs

Yeah

How silly of me to quote from a KC Star reporter who actually interacts with the team more than any of us do. I should only quote Bob Gretz. You know you always get a straight story from him.

As for promotion, the promotion comes in that he’ll no longer be held responsible for what happens on the field (not that he really has been before) because he can make all the decisions through a proxy (Bill Kuharich) who he can always dump if the heat gets to be too much. He’ll still be the GM, he’ll just be letting someone else take all the blame. Much as he’s done for the last 20 years.

Supporting the lesser of two evils is still supporting something evil.

by UCrawford on Oct 8, 2008 8:56 AM CDT up 0 recs

I like Kuharich...

He has a great eye for talent. He was the one who drafted Roaf in New Orleans. In all seriousness I think Carl brings the “connections” aspect to the job. He has been around for a long time and knows everyone around the league. It helps in terms of coaching hires and trades with other teams. And I know you guys don’t like this aspect, but he hasn’t ever really made a desperation move in terms of huge trades for little compensation. Its good to have a tough negotiator at the helm, not someone who will blow the other guy after five minutes of tough talk.

by chiefsfan1384 on Oct 9, 2008 2:00 AM CDT up 0 recs

He's not in charge of personnel?

Then what’s the big deal? He’s a sharp businessman.

Kuharich definitely wouldn’t be my choice to replace him but that’s a different argument.

by primetime 07 on Oct 8, 2008 6:13 AM CDT 0 recs

The former...

CEO of WaMu was a sharp businessman as well! but more importantly, is all of this possible personnel shuffling going to delay his 5 year plan for a super bowl title?

by sad, sad, sad!!! on Oct 8, 2008 7:01 AM CDT up 0 recs

I think there was an original typo to that 5 year plan

He meant “50” year plan.

"But what do I know, I’m like an empty room with a large ECHO"

by Lanier63 on Oct 8, 2008 8:11 AM CDT up 0 recs

Heh

That’s good.

Supporting the lesser of two evils is still supporting something evil.

by UCrawford on Oct 8, 2008 8:45 AM CDT up 0 recs

I think this is an excellent idea.

Peterson is a smart guy… I just don’t want him in charge of personnel, which he wouldn’t be. Plus I would think he would be a fan of Cowher anyway because didn’t they work together?

by Vince D on Oct 8, 2008 7:14 AM CDT 0 recs

Agreed

Peterson Is a great CEO that is the one thing he is good at. As long as he stays out of the football operations and doesn’t try to micromanage that would be great.

by cmpotter on Oct 8, 2008 7:32 AM CDT up 0 recs

That's a huge assumption to think that he would.

by KCScuba on Oct 8, 2008 8:39 AM CDT up 0 recs

I Don't Buy It For A Second

He’s run this team for 20 years…do you really think he’s just going to sit on the sidelines and keep his mouth shut when he’s still incapable of admitting his mistakes? More importantly, do you think that any promising new GM is going to believe he’ll do that?

Supporting the lesser of two evils is still supporting something evil.

by UCrawford on Oct 8, 2008 8:53 AM CDT up 0 recs

The fall back would be

They would just promote Denny Thum and that would be another good ole boy.

by cmpotter on Oct 8, 2008 8:52 PM CDT up 0 recs

PLease, please Pioli

Bringing in Pioli would be the absilute best thing this franchise could do. It would immediately give us hope that we’re finally on the right track. Give him the keys, let him choose the next coach and the new players, and we’d be in great shape for the future.

by Offense of the 70s on Oct 8, 2008 8:15 AM CDT 0 recs

+10000000000000000

Go to Wide World of Roto for all your fantasy news!

by JasonM on Oct 8, 2008 8:34 AM CDT up 0 recs

I think we should be fair here

If CP is saying he only wants to be in charge of business, then he is stating that every personal decision made the last twenty years has been his. End of statement. So with that said, he is saying Kuharich is a glorified front office scout at this time. And with that said, I don’t believe anyone currently in the front office should retain their positions if we indeed bring in a new GM and/or Coach.
As I mentioned comicaly yesterday, CP has been the Wizard of KC pulling all the controls of the team behind the big curtain. Toto, the team this year, has actually run over and opened the curtain to expose the one person who now admits he is all and has been all to this team. Which has mostly been failures the last 10 years.
A new GM should have complete autonomy to build the franchise the way he sees it without the next Dick Clark (CP never seems to age) always coming down to sit in his office and offer his three cents.
I had no idea about the New England person, but thanks for bringing his name into the mix. A bug bomb needs to be set off at Arrowhead and every nook and cranny cleaned to absolute perfection to rid the “stink” off this franchise.

"But what do I know, I’m like an empty room with a large ECHO"

by Lanier63 on Oct 8, 2008 8:23 AM CDT 0 recs

Agreed

And what Whitlock was trying to point out in his column is that Peterson isn’t the only option out there for us. There are others. We don’t have to assume that if Clark fires Carl no GM will ever want to join our team ever again…because that’s not the case. A lot of competent GMs would love to come to a franchise with a dedicated fan base where the owner doesn’t micromanage the decisions. It’s not like things have been good with Peterson FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS.

Seriously, it’s almost like Chiefs fans are in an abusive relationship with Peterson. We get pissed that he’s not holding up his end and the message we get is that we’ll never do better than him and he’ll kill us if we leave him. That’s never a reason to stay together.

Supporting the lesser of two evils is still supporting something evil.

by UCrawford on Oct 8, 2008 8:50 AM CDT up 0 recs

But

He’s treated us this way because he loves us….right?

by primetime 07 on Oct 8, 2008 8:53 AM CDT up 0 recs

Tough Love

And it just doesn’t get much tougher than a 4-12 season followed by what we’re watching now. :)

Supporting the lesser of two evils is still supporting something evil.

by UCrawford on Oct 8, 2008 11:14 AM CDT up 0 recs

Sh*tlock has been spending too much time

with national media people. I doubt he even researched any of this.

And it’s based on his “read” (i.e. what his intern dredged up from the internet).

So here’s my read on Whitlock’s read:

Nuts!

by AngryJesus on Oct 8, 2008 8:35 AM CDT 0 recs

He does have some crazy columns

But they’re usually well-reasoned – he’s a very respected voice in the national media.

by primetime 07 on Oct 8, 2008 8:53 AM CDT up 0 recs

I have no problem with CP's CEO work

The Chiefs are a well run business and if he stayed on in just that capacity then fine. The problem is I don’t believe that he would stay out of the way and that would lead to internal problems.

Denny Thum – seems like he could be a good Pres. One thing Carl has been very good at is salary cap management and Denny has learned from him on that. And Thum has been handling the inital part of negotiations the last few years, with Carl coming in and messing them up right at the end.

Bill Kuharich – if he was really the man behind this years draft then I think he could be a good GM for us. I would like to know who had the most say this year in the war room because that would help in this evalutation. I don’t blame him for the Saints problems that was the coaches decision to trade all picks for Ricky Williams.

by tevans96 on Oct 8, 2008 9:02 AM CDT 0 recs

Keep Denny Thum

Flush everybody else.

Go to Wide World of Roto for all your fantasy news!

by JasonM on Oct 8, 2008 9:18 AM CDT up 0 recs

Salary Cap Management

The only reason Peterson is “good” at salary cap management is because when he makes a horrible signing we keep that player on the roster forever (whether he’s contributing or not) so we don’t take a cap hit. Plenty of accountants could manage the NFL salary cap, but it doesn’t make someone a good GM just because they listen to their accountant.

Supporting the lesser of two evils is still supporting something evil.

by UCrawford on Oct 8, 2008 9:19 AM CDT up 0 recs

I don't want Thum as a GM

I’m all for Pioli, but I would like to keep Thum in his current position if that is possible.

Go to Wide World of Roto for all your fantasy news!

by JasonM on Oct 8, 2008 9:28 AM CDT up 0 recs

Agree

I think he is a bad GM, an OK President, and a good CEO. The problem is he holds too many jobs so we lump them all together and the main side we focus on as fans is the GM part.

I am in no way a Peterson supporter I just feel he should be evaluated on each job seperately.

by tevans96 on Oct 8, 2008 9:32 AM CDT up 0 recs

I Don't Think You Can Evaluate Them Separately

Each one feeds into the other. And what’s he really done to merit being president or CEO anyway? He hasn’t been able to recognize his own shortcomings as a GM, he hasn’t been able to hire a coach who’s been able to win a playoff game in over a decade, so why would we think he’s going to be good at identifying strengths and shortcomings in others? That’s the job of a CEO and president after all.

Supporting the lesser of two evils is still supporting something evil.

by UCrawford on Oct 8, 2008 10:00 AM CDT up 0 recs

Maybe we should just let CP go....

Don't forget to send your broken maples to the US Forest Service.

by 306008 on Oct 8, 2008 11:06 AM CDT 0 recs

If the Stadium continues to find more empty seats

then maybe Clark will let him go

"But what do I know, I’m like an empty room with a large ECHO"

by Lanier63 on Oct 8, 2008 11:47 AM CDT up 0 recs

the renovations

are removing the total capacity, right?

So it should be even easier to sell out in the future.

Ugh

by AngryJesus on Oct 8, 2008 12:25 PM CDT 0 recs

Are you kidding me...

Carl looks like he’s just trying to save his skin, by removing the football aspect out of his responsibilities. Who cares if he’s a good business man. We’re not selling vacuums here. He was hired to turn this franchise around and take it to the Super Bowl, and in a business aspect of trying for 20 plus years he has yet to deliver.

I have never hated Carl, I actually think he a real good person. He took the time to respond to a letter I once sent him during my college years in the Bay Area. When all the San Franciscans were yelling for the head of Peterson, shortly after making a trade for Joe Montana. That to me always showed me what kind of man he is, but lets face it if Herm (who is his recent hire) does not get the job done in the next 2 years by a least making us serious contenders. Then we have no other choice but to wipe the slate clean, and move in another direction. I’m a firm believer that you must never get too comfortable, because comfort can breed itself into complacency.

by aPacificChief on Oct 8, 2008 3:33 PM CDT 0 recs

Well Put

I agree with everything you’ve said.

And my complaints about Peterson aside, I don’t actually hate the man personally. I know he’s actually done some good things for the community and I’m sure he cares about the Chiefs. I just hate the complete lack of accountability that’s allowed him to run this franchise for almost 20 years while achieving results that would have gotten any other GM fired long ago. GMs shouldn’t be hired because they want to win…they should be hired because they can win

Supporting the lesser of two evils is still supporting something evil.

by UCrawford on Oct 8, 2008 3:46 PM CDT up 0 recs

Correction

GMs shouldn’t be ~~hired~~ retained because they want to win…they should be ~~hired~~ retained because they can win

Supporting the lesser of two evils is still supporting something evil.

by UCrawford on Oct 8, 2008 3:47 PM CDT up 0 recs

And That's A Nice Story

About him responding to the letter.

Supporting the lesser of two evils is still supporting something evil.

by UCrawford on Oct 8, 2008 3:49 PM CDT up 0 recs

Herm's Contract

Is up next year. I imagine the higher ups will take a hard, hard look at his accomplishments (or lack thereof).

by primetime 07 on Oct 8, 2008 4:31 PM CDT up 0 recs

That's

What Clark Hunt said he was going to do during an interview last summer, actually.

"It’s a young football team and we’re going to have to take the growing pains that you have with a young football team," he told The Associated Press. "The more important corollary there is that the team improves through the course of the year, so that we’re playing our best football in December. Last year we played our best football in September. We’ve got to be alive, we can’t be out of it come the middle of the season."

In meetings, he tries to be almost strictly an observer.

"I’ve tried to spend more time in the football side of the operation. Now, does that mean I’m in the meetings giving my suggestions? No," he said. "But I’m trying to understand how the football side of the organization is building the team, which assistant coaches were brought in, and why, and how that manifests itself in the schemes that we’ll be running this year. Ultimately, I have to evaluate that side of the business."

Here’s the link to the story.

My skepticism aside, I do believe that if the team continues like this Clark Hunt will get rid of both Herm and Carl after the season. The guy’s no dummy (graduated valedictorian from college) and I believe he knows what he’s doing and expects accountability. And if he thinks this team is in the toilet I don’t think the remainder of Peterson’s contract is going to save King Carl from the chopping block.

Supporting the lesser of two evils is still supporting something evil.

by UCrawford on Oct 8, 2008 11:16 PM CDT up 0 recs

I honestly think it comes down to wins and losses

If we win less than the 4 wins we got last year, it is going to be a hard sell for Clark to keep them in place. I have no idea what our record will end up. they may surprise us all, but if it is 2 or 3 wins? i think he will let them go. i have a lot of respect for Herm and what he is trying to do, but at this level of competition, you don’t get many chances, Deserved or not.

by TheQ on Oct 8, 2008 11:31 PM CDT up 0 recs